a. Get to know a weatherman/womanand become familiar with their lingo and batting average so that when they say, "First some light showers around 7, then heavy after midnight" you know that you can believe that is what will happen.

b. trust that people will simply hear "showers" and "rain" and will stay away from the city

c. book a tour on the double decker bus nightime, "Holiday Lights" tour--before local schools are out for the holiday

d. don't fret over the camera too much (the photos won't be great, no matter what you do) and enjoy the show without the camera in front of your face

This is precisely what J (the sister) and i did on Thursdayand Oh! what fun!

We got in earlyand walked over to Times Square.Having spent my childhood near Las Vegasi'm not easily "whelmed" by bright lightsthat saidTimes Square is something to beholdandphotos just can't do it justice(unless you are a mega pro at such set ups, which i'm not)

the "billboards" are fantastic

and there's even one with a very important reminder

and i believe the Waterford crystal ball is already on its pole?

Board your double decker busenjoy the greeting by the very charmingJamacan-born comedienewho will keep you laughingwhile teaching you things you never knewabout the city

and

enjoy the shooting stars

trees

a garden of stars that change colors

more trees

fabulously over-the-top windows of feathered sculptures

and, yesthat treewhich always brings a lump to my throat

and a building wrapped in a crystal red bowwith a jaguar climbing it

and a glitzy touch of Hollywood

Andwhen it's all overwalk to the grand New York City Public Library on 5th avenueand watch the sweet crowd of skaters in Bryant Parkthe really talented onesand those helping the wobbly onesand all the smiles

Generally speakingi avoid The City during Christmas weekwhen the streets and sidewalks arepacked even tighter with vehicles and people.But since my dear friend, Beverly was in townand i had not seen her for more than a yearmy sister and i bundled into our coatsclimbed aboard the busand began our journey into The Citya good two days before The Big Night.

Beverly was staying uptownwith her holiday traveling friend's city cats

We had tea and homemade chocolate cakeand chatted awaywhile playing with and stroking Mars, an affectionate black tabbyApollo, a tall, lean ginger tabby who clearly has Abyssinian in his genesand Moon, a pure white furball impossible to resist.Two hours flew by and thenit was time for her to dress for her night outas she sent us off to the Jewish Museumto view the exhibit dedicated to her friendEzra Jack Keatsand celebrating the 50th birthday of his groundbreaking classicThe Snowy Day(images borrowed from the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation)

Seeing his originalsreading his notebooks and journalsstudying his sketchbooks and story boardsbeing in his presence:Another Christmas gift from our friend.

Refreshed and fed in another wayit was timeto wend our way back to Port Authorityvia 5th Avenue and The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center.In other wordswe girded our loinstook a deep breathand said, "We can do this."

As expectedthe bus crept at a snail's pace down the avenueand we were glad to get off when it finally reached the Plaza.We zipped coats quicklyand pulled on hatsfeeling revived in the cold airbeneath a tiny, cool blue quarter moonabove a glowing city

The sidewalks were teaming with (mostly) smiling multitudeseveryone (except for a few true inhabitants trying to simply get home)looking upthrough camerasor down at their phonesor into the enormousstaggeringly ornate and elaboratesometimes breathtakingly beautifulsometimes disturbing window displays at Bergdorf Goodman*(more on them a bit later).

We walked under the snowflake at 57th

were charmed by the fantasy worldscreated in Jewlery Stores of Great Repute

stopping oftento gaze and smile, too

Finallywe reached The Tree

where we were promptly swallowed up by the mobsbarely escapingall but running toward 6th Avenuewhere(gasp!)the crowds where even worse (??)

It suddenly stopped being funand felt as ifwe might be swept awayin a neverending, crushing river of humansalmost none of whichwere speaking English.i'd never experienced anything like thisand i didn't like it.

E.T. phone home!

Taxi?Impossible.Then, a swarm of these appeared

i looked at my sisterwho was already standing in the streetaway from the flooding sidewalkwe both smiledand her arm shot into the air.

We negotiated with the cyclist-driverwho (thank our lucky stars)was clearly an American English speaking personand climbed into the carriage/cab.

The next thing we knowwe are moving into the stream of cars, buses and taxisand between cars, buses and taxis(bus and taxi drivers showing him/us every courtesy.Who knew such a comraderie reigned on these streets?)i am so astonishedi do not notice, untilhe turns left into the center lane on Broadway that he has taken us into the very heartof Times Square!

click to view a larger version, if you like

Giant double decker buses pulling away from the curb next to uspauseletting us go firsttaxis beep in a friendly wayand their passengers smile at us grinning and laughingeven (i confess) hooting once or twice.

i've never been one for roller coasters or amusement park ridesbut thisthis was fantasticTruly. the stuff of fantasy.At least for me.i would do this again in a heartbeat!

We miss the 6:45 busand so wait, and wait on sore feetto snag a seat in a deli for a bite to eatand are the first in line for the 7:50that takes us away from The Cityand, two hours laterback to our home in the countrywhere we are greeted by our own four paws friendsand hang our coats in the alcoveby the window